


The Lone Wolf

by ZhenLe



Category: Free!
Genre: Children, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-07
Updated: 2014-01-07
Packaged: 2018-01-07 21:04:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1124365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZhenLe/pseuds/ZhenLe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Haru was always a lone wolf in its literal sense – while they were in kindergarten, he would always be by himself. He would chase everyone away with his icy looks and his lack of social skills, and his blue eyes weren’t any help as they were so piercing and frightful. Things change when he gets into elementary school…</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Lone Wolf

Haruka never made any friends. He possessed a peculiar pair of deep, deep blue eyes that seemed to have the ability to pierce through one’s own soul. Given the cold nature he was born with, Haruka hardly every smiled, neither did he cry often.

He stared. And when he stared, not even his own parents were able to stare back into those sapphire gems for very long before becoming tremendously uncomfortable. It was very possible that the attitude his eyes elicited enveloped his entire being, creating some sort of sphere around himself that no one dared intrude.

Kindergarten was a long and lonely affair for the young boy. His cold silent eyes and the air he gave out that screamed ‘leave me alone’ kept anyone from getting close to him. Even his teachers seemed to leave him alone most of the time – it was a miracle that Haruka still managed to learn, thanks to his own effort and no one else’s.

If kindergarten was the period of time where children had the most fun in their lives and made the most friends, it definitely wasn’t the case for the introverted boy; the lone wolf. It wasn’t as if Haruka was sly and cunning like the wolf, it was just those piercing eyes that made him seem like one.

Elementary school wasn’t any better, or the beginning of it at least.

X-X-X

“Don’t look into his eyes, you’ll have nightmares!”

“No, no! It’s not just that, whoever becomes his friend will get hurt…”

“He’s so creepy, don’t you think? Look at those eyes! And his skin is so white too…”

“He’s a monster, he’s so freaky! I hope he dies soon.”

Rumours hadn’t taken long to be spread like fire in the midst of alcohol. Haruka was detested, he was put down, reduced to nothing more than entertainment for the students surrounding him.

Not even a week had passed by since Haruka had started in Iwatobi Elementary School. Yet he was already the odd one out, the one who stood out against the rest, the one and only person who hadn’t found a friend. He was alone, isolated, pitiful to say the least. The epitome of loneliness.

The boy kept to himself. He ate alone, he sat alone, he walked alone. No one was brave enough to get to know him better. No one cared enough to try to get him to speak or socialise. No one was able to see the hurt buried deep in his soul. That was, up until the fateful day where a pair of bright, bright green eyes decided that they held the ability to stare back at the icy blue, unperturbed.

“Nanase-kun, would you like to eat lunch with me today?”

If Haruka’s persona was as frigid as winter, Makoto’s – the boy who possessed those green eyes – gave out a radiance as warm as the sun.

“U-un.”

Haruka cast a sideways glance at the brunet, wondering if some sort of sick prank was being pulled on him. No malice was detected in the glistening green however, only concern and endless sunshine.

~

Weeks passed, and Makoto had never left the lone wolf to his own devices. That made Haruka ponder to himself, _What is Makoto’s reason for staying?_ _Is he trying to get something from me? Maybe he wants to prove to the rest of the class that he’s invincible?_ The reasons that popped into his head did not match up at all to a person of Makoto’s calibre. _Maybe he’s too kind and doesn’t want anyone to be left out? Maybe I’m being a pain, but he doesn’t want to leave because he’d feel bad._

~

“Ha – eh…uhm… H-Haruka-k-kun…”

 _We’re on first name terms now?_ _Crap, just as I chose today to ask him why he stayed._ A sheepish smile had formed on the face of the kind boy, a smile that Haruka had come to love. Never once had someone other than his parents and relatives smiled at him in such a sweet way. And it was a genuine smile, not something forced like those of his extended family. _I’ll just go with it then…_

“Makoto…?”

The sun was no match for the dazzling smile that appeared on his face, accompanied by a slight pink tint that stained his cheeks. Haruka was blinded on the inside by its brilliance. _How can anyone have such an amazing smile?_

Haruka couldn’t contain it anymore, and he just blurted out: “Why do you hang out with me?”

“E-eh?”

A downcast look brought a shadow over the light of Makoto’s smile, and Haruka cursed himself for taking it away so suddenly. He had wanted to look at it longer.

“D-do you not want me to…to be your friend?”

 _Friend? Makoto’s my friend? I’ve never had a friend in my entire life! No way, did I…did I just make a friend without realising it?_ Haruka realised his mistake a little too late, utterly regretting having let that one question slip. _Am I going to lose my only friend now?_

Haruka wasn’t made of steel. He had a heart, and he had a big one. It wasn’t as if he didn’t want friends, it wasn’t as if he didn’t like to socialise, it wasn’t as if he wasn’t hurt when others talked trash about him. He may have owned an aura that said otherwise, but he was still human after all. Trying to save the friendship that now seemed like it was hanging by just a single thread, he let loose a string of apologies and sentences that were all over the place – Haruka’s attempt to save a friendship. And in a very weird way that was so unnatural to the very person Haruka was.

“No, it’s not that. I’m sorry. No, what are you talking about. Makoto be my friend. I’ve never had any friends. What do you mean? Are you going to leave me? Don’t go. I’m sorry. Makoto stay. Makoto what happened. Makoto did I say something wrong? Smile please. Smile, smile again. Makoto don’t leave me. Makoto…Makoto…”

Realising how dependent and silly he sounded, Haruka’s mouth shut immediately as he looked to the side. Away from those green, green eyes that had started to brim with worry from the sudden rant that was terrifyingly abnormal of Haruka.

The green seas of worry were quickly replaced with a happiness that Makoto couldn’t express in any other way than to smile his biggest widest smile, blush his cute little blush, and fling his arms around the smaller boy.

X-X-X

“Haru-chan, let’s go!”

“Lay off the –chan.”

The two boys walked side by side to swim practice, smiles present on both of them. Makoto’s was on his face, Haruka’s was in his heart. Those blue eyes of him had no longer become a hindrance to making any friends. Instead, they were now lit with a small flame of happiness and contentment. Never again was he left in a world of loneliness. That cursed word wasn’t even in his life anymore, now that the ever cheerful Makoto was by his side. The lone wolf had finally found a companion.


End file.
